Tag: older people

It’s All Right by Sister Kate Holstrom

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Gracefully is written by Sister Kate Holmstrom, a Holy Child Sister, resident at a care home in Harrogate.

Sister Kate has contributed a number of pieces to Growing Old Grace-fully.

It’s All Right

Thanks, Lord, my heartfelt thanks, and great relief
To hear you say: “But it’s All Right, you know!”
All right –you’re growing old. Forgetful, muddled, dim
(Embarrassing, frustrating though it is),
All right to need, and take, more time, more space, perhaps,
To admit: “I don’t cope well. I can’t keep up”.
You went there first, our good and sorrowful Lord.
You touched the depth, in dark Gethsemane,
Were crowned with pain and meek humility,
Carried the cross, the sharp sin of the world
So no-one, now, need think herself bereft.
You give to us, you give to me, your freedom:
Permission to be helpless, tired and weak.
You would not have us envious of others
When they are brave or bright or persevering.
You rock us in your reassuring arms,
Accepting us the way you made us: small,
And loving us that way. For you to grow in us,
We must be empty, leaving space for you.
And then you’ll say: “That’s right! What you thought wrong,
Amiss and lacking, is my chance. All right!”

                                                               Katharine Holmstrom

2025 Jubilee Year

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The 2025 Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ is now underway.

The Jubilee Year began with the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on Christmas Eve Tuesday and runs to the Feast of Epiphany 2026.

The Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Leeds began with Bishop Marcus celebrating Mass in the Cathedral at 11am on Sunday 29 December 2024.

The theme the Holy Father has chosen for this year of special graces is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and he invites the whole People of God – clergy and laity – to celebrate God’s Gift of Grace through their expressions of Deep Faith, Lively Hope and Active Charity.

Since Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Jubilee on 22 February 1300, the Catholic Church has declared these Holy Years to be special times of joy, celebration, forgiveness and reconciliation: with one another, with all of creation and with God. In order to prepare for the Jubilee, a Year of Prayer and Preparation will begin in Advent 2023, with special focus on the Lord’s Prayer, taught to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly is from 30 May 2025 – 1 June 2025.

The official Jubilee website is here and the Jubilee section of the Diocese of Leeds website is here. In both cases, there is more information and resources.

Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,

may the faith you have given us

in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,

and the flame of charity enkindled

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

reawaken in us the blessed hope

for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us

into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.

May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos

in the sure expectation

of a new heaven and a new earth,

when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,

your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee

reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,

a yearning for the treasures of heaven.

May that same grace spread

the joy and peace of our Redeemer

throughout the earth.

To you our God, eternally blessed,

be glory and praise for ever.

Amen.

Video from Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life

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Growing Old Grace-fully has been hosting a series of six online events in 2024, on a variety of different themes exploring later life. The sixth and final of these events was Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life, which was on Tuesday 19th November 2024.

The session had three presentations from people who have found hope in parish life or a Christian community group – Susan Clarkson, Maureen Crossley and Carol Burns – and prayers and reflections.

The video of this session is available to watch on YouTube here.

Online Event – Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life

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Growing Old Grace-fully‘s has been hosting a series of six online events in 2024, on a variety of different themes exploring later life.

The sixth and final of these events is on Finding Hope in Community and Parish Life on Tuesday 19th November. This afternoon session will start at 2.30pm and finish at 3.30pm.

This final session of the series evokes the hopefulness of Advent, which is just around the corner and also looks forward to the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope in 2025 as announced by Pope Francis.

The session will involve some examples of people who have found hope in parish life or a Christian community group; a chance to share in smaller groups people’s stories of hope and joy; and prayers and reflections.

To attend, reserve a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

A Zoom link will be circulated to all ticket holders in advance of the event.

Assisted Dying – key vote in Parliament on 29th November

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On Friday, 29 November, the House of Commons will hear the Second Reading of The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25. This is a Private Members Bill, introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP.

This is a bill (a draft law) that would legalise medically assisted dying (assisted suicide) in the UK, for terminally ill adults. The long title of the Bill states that it would “allow adults who are terminally ill, subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life”.

The vote on the Second Reading is the key vote that will determine if this controversial measure becomes law. MPs have a free vote, meaning they themselves decide how to vote, not the Government or their party. If a majority of MPs vote for the Second Reading of this Bill, it will be introduced into UK law.

Growing Old Grace-fully believes in the value of all human life, including of course later life and old age (something too often not the case in society) and those living with terminal illnesses and the various forms of dementia. As with many older people’s organisations, we want to see better and more personal health care, including palliative care, for all, and through this to give each person dignity in the latter stages of life and in dying.

Allowing assisted dying/assisted suicide, even for one group, means medical professionals will have to be involved with assisting people to take their own lives, as opposed to treating and caring for them and alleviating physical and mental pain through medical relief and psychological support.

The example in other countries also shows that once such an initial law is introduced for one group of people, there is pressure to extend it to others, which could include old people, who may be made to feel a burden on their family and on society, and people living with dementia and other degenerative conditions.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) is calling on people to write to the MP and their website has a raft of resources to help inform people about the Bill and the issue. Their resources are available here.

There is also a page on the website of the Diocese of Leeds with information here.

Video and resources from ‘Spiritually Accompanying People with Dementia’ online session

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On Tuesday 22nd October, we held the 5th Growing Old Grace-fully online session of 2024, Spiritually Accompanying People with Dementia led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cortis, co-author of Journeying Together: accompanying people living with dementia. Deacon Joe has a background in adult and mental health nursing which includes a long period as an educational manager, academic and senior lecturer at the University of Leeds. He is a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully and a Deacon of the Diocese of Leeds.

The session explored ways to provide spiritual support to individuals living with dementia as well as our own spiritual journey with them as a loved one. It includes prayers and reflections, as well as ideas as to accompany and support someone living with dementia from a spiritual perspective.

It was a very powerful session and we thank Deacon Joe for leading it.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary of the session, produced by Deacon Joe, that you can download here.

Further Resources

For those who would like to read it, the book, by Rev. Dr. Joe Cortis & Dr. Pia Matthews can be ordered here.

In addition, in 2019 Deacon Joe led a Dementia Awareness workshop, which can be found on the Caritas Leeds website here.

This page also links to several useful resources and links, regarding dementia.

Online event – Spiritually Accompanying People Living With Dementia

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Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 5th online event of 2024 is Spiritually Accompanying People Living With Dementia on Tuesday 22nd October, 7:00-8:00pm.  This is part of the series of online events How to be more Later Life Friendly in our parishes.

The Zoom event, looking at the theological significance of dementia, is led by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cortis, co-author of Journeying Together: accompanying people living with dementia. Deacon Joe has a background in adult and mental health nursing which includes a long period as an educational manager, academic and senior lecturer at the University of Leeds. He is a Trustee of Growing Old Grace-fully.

Whether you are a spouse, family member, friend or caregiver, this event is designed to explore ways to provide spiritual support to individuals living with dementia as well as our own spiritual journey with them as a loved one.

The session will include prayers and reflections, as well as ideas as to accompany and support someone living with dementia from a spiritual perspective.

To attend, reserve a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

A Zoom link will be circulated to all ticket holders in advance of the event.

For those who would like to read it, the book, by Rev. Dr. Joe Cortis & Dr. Pia Matthews can be ordered here.

Video and resources from ‘Hope in Later Life’ online session

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Image by FreePik

On Thursday 26th September, we held the 4th Growing Old Grace-fully online session of 2024, Hope in Later Life led by Paula Shanks and Father Donal Lucey.

It was a very powerful reflection and we thank Paula and Fr Donal for leading it.

You can watch the whole session on YouTube here.

There is a one page summary produced by Paula here.

Silver Sunday – 6th October 2024

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Silver Sunday is a national day in the UK celebrating older people, organised by held Age UK. It is held on the first Sunday in October and this year it will be Sunday 6th October. In the UK, it is also national Grandparents’ Day on the first Sunday in October, so a double celebration related to later life and older people and the contribution they make to society.

As part of the Silver Sunday celebrations, organisations put on special events that welcome older people – particularly those who may be lonely or isolated. Age UK lists official events on its website here.

Growing Old Grace-fully supports Silver Sunday (and Grandparents’ Day) and sees the first Sunday in October as an important opportunity to celebrate later life and to do so in our parishes and communities.

Silver Sunday and Grandparents’ Day gives every parish the opportunity to dedicate a Mass or Masses to older people, to include something in the parish bulletin and to perhaps include a bidding prayer. Some parishes organise events after Mass or in the afternoon. Grandchildren could also be invited to attend Mass with their grandparents.

Do speak to your parish priest about doing something to commemorate Silver Sunday and UK Grandparents’ Day.

Here is a prayer for Silver Sunday and Grandparents’ Day:

Prayer for Silver Sunday and UK Grandparents’ Day

Heavenly Father,

On this special day, as we celebrate Silver Sunday and Grandparents’ Day, we ask your blessings upon all older members of our parish, our community and our society. We thank you for the blessing of later life and for all the wisdom, knowledge and love given and received. 

On a day to celebrate all older people and later life, we pray that we and all of our community and wider society will continue to honour and cherish older people and to celebrate their hugely important contribution over many years to family life, the Church, their local community, society and the wider world. 

We also pray for organisations like Age UK, the organisers of Silver Sunday and thank them for the opportunity to celebrate older people in the UK and their huge importance to our nation and our society. We also pray for all Age UK volunteers and all volunteers of all charities, pressure groups and third sector organisations focused on older people and later life, many of whom are older people themselves. 

On UK Grandparents’ Day, bless all grandparents who have shaped our families with their faith, patience, and care. May they continue to be a source of strength, love, and wisdom for generations to come.

We pray for those who feel lonely, isolated or forgotten in later life. Lord, fill their hearts with peace and remind them of their great dignity and value. Open the hearts of people of all ages to seek to include, engage and cherish older people in their parishes and their communities, including those who don’t have regular contact with families and friends.  

Through the intercession of St Anthony of Padua, Patron Saint of Older People, St. Jeanne Jurgan, a patron saint of older people and older destitute people, and Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, we ask for your blessings and grace upon all older people, today and always.

We ask this in the name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Online event – Hope in Later Life

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The fourth of Growing Old Grace-fully‘s 2024 online sessions is Hope in Later Life on Thursday 26 September, 2:30pm with Fr Donal Lucey and Paula Shanks. 

The session, with reflections and music, will be led by Father Donal and Paula.

Fr. Donal is a retired Catholic priest of the Leeds Diocese, he was latterly parish priest in Garforth and in Harrogate and is the Chaplain to Faith and Light. Paula has a background in teaching and is trained in Ignatian spiritual accompaniment.

To reserve your place, please book a free ticket on Eventbrite here.  

The session will start at 2:30pm and finish at 3:30pm, a Zoom link will be circulated to all attendees.

The next two online sessions will be on these dates:

  • Tuesday 22nd October – 7:00-8:00pm – Spiritually Accompanying People Living with Dementia
  • Tuesday 19th November – 2:30-3:30pm – Finding Joy and Hope in Community and Parish Life